(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a split serial-parallel hybrid dual-power drive system, and more particularly to one used to drive land, maritime, underwater or aerospace transportation means, or industrial machines and equipment or any other load driven by rotational kinetic energy.
The split serial-parallel hybrid dual-power drive system is comprised of two or more than two separation drive systems allowing independent operation to respectively drive the load, or all loads driven individually are incorporated in a common frame.
In the separation drive system of the dual-power drive system, the first drive system and a second drive system are provided. The first drive system is equipped with an active power source, a first electrical unit essentially functioning as a generator, and an optional second electrical unit essentially functioning as a motor, and a clutch set to control the transmission status of the rotational kinetic energy; and the second drive system is adapted with another second dynamo-electric unit essentially functioning as a motor to serve as the rotational power source for the second drive system.
An optional clutch set is provided to control the transmission or cut-off of the rotational kinetic energy between two independent drive systems.
By means of the regulation of a control system or by manual operation, the status of transmission between the active rotational power source and the first dynamo-electric unit of the separation serial-parallel hybrid drive system indicates a coupled status; and the active rotational kinetic energy source drives the first dynamo-electric unit to output electric power to further drive the second dynamo-electric unit to operate as a motor to provide functions related to a series hybrid power train; or alternatively, through the control and operation of the clutch, the rotational kinetic energy from the active rotational power source outputs rotational kinetic energy to drive either or both of the loads of the first drive system and the second drive system; or the active rotational power source is incorporated to both of the first and the second dynamo-electric units, and an optional rechargeable device to provide functions related to a parallel hybrid power train. Accordingly, the present invention relates to an innovative dual-power drive system by providing more operation functions.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Traditional transportation means on land, maritime or airborne is usually related to a single acting power train. To meet energy saving and pollution control criteria significant efforts have been devoted to the development of dual-power drive system in recent years. Among these efforts, the development of a power train combining the rotational kinetic energy outputted from engine and that from electricity driven motor has made quite an impressive progress. The hybrid dual-power system of the prior art includes:    1. Serial hybrid power drive system: a generator is driven by an engine to further drive a motor to produce rotational kinetic energy to drive a load, this system has reported flaws of wild variation in system efficiency under various loading condition; greater demand on electrical power capacity, requiring larger installation space, heavier and higher cost due to that both of the motor and the generator have to carry all the power consumption.    2. Rechargeable serial drive system: Under normal loading, an engine drives a generator to further drive a motor to output rotational kinetic energy for driving a load. Under light loading condition, electric energy from the generator is partially flow into a rechargeable energy storage device for storage. While the engine stops running, the electrical energy inside storage device will output to the motor for producing the rotational kinetic energy to drive the load, this approach brings higher energy efficiency and less pollution; and under heavy loading, electrical energy from the engine-driven-generator and from the rechargeable energy storage device are transferred to the motor which output rotational kinetic energy for driving the load.    3. Parallel hybrid power train: Under normal loading, rotational kinetic energy outputted from an engine directly drive the load; Under light loading, the motor driven by the engine is switched into the generator mode for charging the rechargeable device or supply power to other load, or if the engine stops running, the rechargeable device drives the motor to output rotational kinetic energy to drive the load for higher energy efficiency and less pollution. Under heavy loading, the rotational kinetic energy outputted from the engine and that from the motor driven by the rechargeable device jointly drive the load. However, the flaw of the system is that it requires the installation of a rechargeable device with sufficient electrical capacity.